1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test apparatus and a test method. In particular, the present invention relates to a test apparatus and a test method for applying different operational clocks to each module in a test apparatus that can realize test functions by modularizing the functions of the test apparatus and connecting these modules to each other.
2. Related Art
Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a test apparatus that provides a flexible platform. In this test apparatus, modules corresponding to a variety of test functions are suitably combined to enable construction or reconstruction of test functions according to the intended use. In this test apparatus, each type of test function is provided as a module, and a plurality of modules work together to cause the overall test apparatus to operate. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a synchronization function for synchronizing the modules, and this synchronization function can be provided as a synchronization module. Non-Patent Document 1: “‘Flexible Platform’ T2000 Applicable to Diversified Testing Needs,” online, Advantest Corporation (URL:http://www.advantest.co.jp/products/ate/t2000/index.shtml)
The synchronization signal generated by the synchronization module is generated based on the operational clock of the synchronization module, and the other modules each operate according to a unique operational clock. If the operational clocks of the synchronization module and the other modules have the same resolution, i.e. frequency, then there is no problem with synchronizing the modules. However, if there is a high-frequency module that operates according to an operational clock with a higher frequency than the operational clock of the synchronization module, further effort is required to synchronize the modules. Specifically, the phase data in the synchronization signal generated by the synchronization module does not match the phase data in the periodic signal of the high-frequency module, which operates at a higher frequency than the synchronization module, and so the periodic signal of the high-frequency module generated according to this synchronization signal is shifted from its intended phase.